When he [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid… Matthew 14:30
Fear is a power that can grip your soul. It will fight against your faith. It will battle for control of your mind and your heart.
If fear were simply an emotion, we could ignore it, but fear debilitates. It paralyzes a person. It impedes the progress of faith.
Jesus told a story about three servants who were given resources to invest for their master. Two of them made investments that produced a good return, but the third servant went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his money.
When the master came back, the servant said, “I was afraid.” Fear kept him from taking the initiative. Fear prevented him from being a profitable servant. Fear led him to waste his opportunity and made him content to do nothing. Fear kept him from hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Fear is one of our enemy’s greatest weapons in undermining our progress in the Christian life. Fear eroded the faith of God’s people when they were about to enter the land of Canaan. Moses sent out twelve spies. They saw the strength of the enemy, and by the time they came back to give their report, ten of them had been overwhelmed by fear.
Some of us have greater battles with this enemy than others. Some people are of a more timid or nervous temperament. Being born again does not change that. You become a Christian, but you still have to live with yourself.
If you have a nervous disposition, this will be one of your greatest struggles. God will help you in the battle, but this is where your battles will be fought.
On a scale of 1 (no battle) to 10 (an epic, everyday battle) how would you rate the intensity of your struggle with fear? Where have you seen God’s help in the battle?
